Author's Note:
Hey guys, happy Fathers day to all of the dads reading.
Just one question, why would you allow your kids to read this?
Eh, what are you gonna do?
Read, enjoy, and review everybody!
Nikolia gave off a frustrated sigh as he walked down the hallways back to his quarters. Closing off one nasal way, he snorted out a small wad of fabric and then did the same to the other. The last thing he wanted was to end up in their bed, so he had to take special steps to prevent it.
Like most Thunderian women, when Cheetara was in heat, she literally breathed sexuality. During the weeks of her heat, she could not get enough of it and she had to take it where she could get it. Lion-O was more than aware of this and, like most men, welcomed the help. Although they were a race with more sexual stamina than most, even a male Thunderian could not always completely satisfy his mate during this phase. Most did not even try.
Fortunately, Nikolia was not a Thunderian and luckily neither was his 'mate.' Though they had a fairly active and healthy sex-life, they knew when to give each other some space. Although neither of them was spared from Thunderian women's heat. After one fateful night that either one regretted or trade away, Nikolia learned two things: one, that Katerina was secretly bisexual. And two, that he needed to update his security.
As he entered his quarters, he noticed that it was quieter then he normally liked it. Maybe it was due to exhaustion, or the fact he was surrounded in a familiar setting, or it might have been age, but he did not feel as on edge as he used to. But as he was kicking off his boots, he quickly found out that he was not alone.
Nikolia turned around as saw his little fifteen month old daughter, Sophia, stumbling towards him.
"Come here, honey," Nikolia said as he kneeled down and held out his arms. "Come to daddy."
The infant walked to her father on wobbly legs, eyes with blue irises wide and wondering as Nikolia encouraged her on. He caught her before landed on her cute little face.
"That'a girl. Daddy's got you." He said as he picked his smiling daughter up. "You'll be walking in no time."
"Let's hope you don't teach her how to throw knives or jump off roofs." said an older female voice.
Duchess Katerina Angelucci is Nikolia's wife, lover, and equal. Considered to be the voice on humanity on Third Earth, she is one of Thundera's most powerful individuals. Her words alone are enough to send the minor human population into a frenzy that could build an empire within years, or destroy an enemy nation within months…. Also she was hotter than a summer day on the sun's surface did not hurt with good public relations.
She had wild, cascading, fiery red locks that descended to the back of her legs. Soft tendrils of it framed her cherubic face. Her eyes had the colors of sunset, the mixture of reds, browns and golds dancing in them with passion and underlying mischief. Her nose was pert, her lips full and ripe, inviting anyone who would look upon them to dare a kiss. Her well-endowed body was just as enticing to anyone who would pass a glance at her, that Nikolia had more than once reminded a guard or two, and not subtly, that she was married to him and it was staying that way.
"Relax," Nikolia snickered. "I won't teach her that."
"What a relief."
"Not until she's four."
"Nikolia!" she snapped, and somehow mixing annoyance and humor at once. "I was just about to put her down for a nap, and now you gave her ideas."
"Then that will make for some pretty interesting dreams." He chuckled as he rocked his little Sophia to sleep. After putting Sophia down for her afternoon nap, Nikolia could clearly see the irritation in Katerina's expression. "You do know I was just kidding."
"And you do know that I don't like it when you kid like that!"
"She's gonna have to learn it eventually."
"Who says that she has to learn it at all, Nikolia." She snapped. "Nik, this is peace time. She doesn't need it."
"Well I beg to differ." He said stern and cold. "I'm not going to teach her how to throw knives or break someone's neck; just enough so that she can protect herself when and if the time comes. What she does with that is her own accord."
Katerina looked at him very annoyed, but it was her cute annoyed face. She had her hands on her hips that were cocked, and fire in her eyes, which he still found rather adorable. "You do realize that this will be the only time you win against me in an argument."
Nikolia leaned closer to her, just hovering over her lips. "And I'm enjoying each and every second of it."
With that, they kissed; sweetly and tenderly. "Mmm," she hummed, pulling him close and wrapping a leg possessively around him. "Did I ever tell you that I adore your lips?"
"You could mention it more." He smiled, nuzzling her neck, enjoying the feel of her velvet skin. He rocked with her as his hands ran up and down her beautiful curves. "And I enjoy this even more."
Suddenly, and almost thankfully, there was a knock at the. After a quick clean-up, Nikolia said, "Enter."
WilyKat's head popped in. From the misshaped pattern in his fur, and minor bags under his eyes, showed that he was still not used to Bengali's old position and his sleep was suffering because of it.
"Duchess Katerina," the young wild cat said. "Emperor Lion-O needs to speak with you."
Xavier Marks stood above a lake of fire, waiting to let his mentor burn.
What was left of Kor'ta Kaiden's corroded armor was chained to a pyre-slab along with his half destroyed body. Lava spat and bubbled beneath it, wafts of flame igniting in it before being consumed, only flaring to life again in another part of the molten flow. The black marble of the pyre-slab reflected the lava's fiery glow, the veined stone cast in reds and oranges. Two thick chains were piston-drilled to one of the short edges, and the rectangular pyre-slab hung down long-ways. Beskar covered its surface, so the pyre-slab would be impervious to the magma heat. It would take Kaiden on his final journey the heart of Mount Saladin.
Inside the vast cavern of rock, Marks recalled the slow and solemn procession to that great volcanic peak. Over a hundred warriors, marching all the way from the very few space elevators, nicknamed the Tower of Fire, had made the pilgrimage. The mountain was immense, and tore into the fiery orange heavens of Tsu'Cha like the tip of a broken spear. Ash drifts had floated from the crater at its peak, coming down in slow, grey swathes.
Saladin was at once a beautiful and terrible sight to behold.
But there were no pyroclastic fury; no belligerent eruptions of rock and flame this day, just lamentation as the mountain took back one of her children: a Tsu'Chan, a Fire-born.
A hard nudge of his shoulder, and Marks was awake with his hand on the grip of his pistol. Two-hundred twenty-two years as a Mandalorian warrior, and his skills had never dulled.
When his eye opened, so did his heads-up display. His vitals, shield integrity gauge, ammo counter, motion tracker, grenade counter, friend-or-foe radar, maps and tactical information, and personal apps all flashed on at once and neatly put themselves in their correct sections. What he did not count on was Mandalord Aaron staring him right in the face.
"Sire!" he moved his hand off his weapon and snapped a quick salute.
"Are you all right, son?" he asked. "You passed out right when we entered the atmosphere."
"Yes, sire. I'm sorry, sire. I tend to pass out caused by the compression."
What Marks really meant to say was that he was actually asleep. The last thing he wanted to tell his regiment is that he was lazy. Truth is, one never dreams when they're passed out. It feels more like a shot of alcohol followed by an ass kicking; which is what he might receive if he did not get his act together soon.
The stillness of the ship quickly told him that they were on the planet, and his warriors were awaiting their orders.
"Warriors!" he spoke to them over COMMs, "I know that you have all trained for close-quarter fire-fights on the fire fields of Tsu'Cha since you were mere children. But today is not one of those days.
Today, we have to leave a good impression on our guests; we are representing Mandalore. Keep your lines straight, poster good, and weapons holstered." The doors of the ship opened, and Marks took his position at the front. "You are warriors of Mando'a! Act like it!"
Eighty-five Mandalorian warriors left the three Tortoises. A stream of green, black and gold covered the landing platform. The fourteen from Mark's made two single column lines, and snapped into position. Marks walked in front of Aaron and Lara-Su, posing as their bodyguard, but he was the first to see what deadly traps this planet had to offer.
A female cheetah stood before them with her own personal army of guards. Compared to the abnormal and huge appearance of her guards, the cheetah had a well-proportioned figure. She was a very tall, slender woman with long blond hair with spots on it that fell past her waist with shorter locks of hair framing her face down to her chin, an hourglass figure, a high forehead, and crimson eyes. that had long, voluminous lashes.
She wore a red silk blouse that outlined perfectly the shape of her endowments. The sarong was well-fitted, with the green symbol of their royal symbol adorning it, but in certain angles and movements it would expose her long, shapely legs, She wore those a white cape and the high heeled matching pumps.
"Greetings, Mandalord Aaron," she said as she bowed to them. "I am Empress Cheetara. On behalf of my husband, I welcome you to Third Earth."
A faint glimmer in her eyes, and small smile, told Marks that this was not going to be a normal diplomatic mission.
Author's Notes:
So no smut this time around.
And none for the next chapter.
Just thought I should warn you.
Later.